Dental appliance



' May 23, 1933.

DENTAL APPLIANCE Filed Oct. 21, 1932 J. H. JULIAN 1,910,292

Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES r HCE DENTAL APPLIANCE Application filed October 21, 1932. Serial No. 638,964.

This invention relates to means for securing dental plates of artificial teeth in position and it consists in certain forms and arrangement of parts by means of which the plates may be securely held in place thus overcoming one of the greatest difliculties in using artificial teeth, especially the lower plate where the muscles of the cheeks and the tongue naturally, during talking or eating, cause a lifting of the plate which is very uncomfortable and annoying to the wearer; and to likewise provide a similar securing means .for the upper plate where the natural suction for some reason or other has been destroyed.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate" similar parts,

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section showing the device as applied to one side of the upper and lower plates and positioned in a persons mouth,

Figure 2, a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a plan view of the extension or clamping member and the sleeve detached, and

Figure 4, an end view of Figure 3.

In the drawing reference character 10 indicates an extension or clamping member which is formed of a plate 11 and a plate 12 hinged together along their edges by a pin 13, the plate 12 being provided with rounded ends and a plurality of perforations 14 therethrough. The plate 11 is also provided with perforations 15 and has a rod or clutch 16 secured thereto by wire clamps 17 or any other suitable fastening means. The rod or clutch 16 is adapted to rotate in the fastening means 17 so that the upper end 18 which is bent forces the plate 12 rearwardly with respect to the plate 11.

The lower dental plate 19 is formed of any material suitable for the purpose and is provided with teeth 20 embedded therein.v The plate 11 is embedded in the dental plate along the lower edge of the lingual side of the dental plate with the rod or clutch 16positioned on the lnside'. The plate is held firmly by the material of which the dental plate is formed forced through the perforations .15.

curved rod or clutch 16 when turned against The extension or clamping member 10'may likewise be secured in a similar manner to the upper plate at the heel in the labial side I along the outside edge with the clutch or rod 16 positioned on the outside so that the plate 12 rests against and covers the tissue beyond the tuber 'InaXilliar at the superior border of the denture and is held firmly in place by the clutch or rod 16 pressing against the plate. Thus the upper dental plate is held firmly to the gums and the roof of the mouth in cases where the natural suction is for some reason or other destroyed or impaired.

In order to prevent the material of which the dental plate is formed fromsticking to the rod or clutch 16 and obstructing its free turning in placing and removing the plate from the mouth, a sleeve 23 is provided. The sleeve is fastened to the plate 11 covering the rod, the prongs 24 at the outer end of the sleeve are bent over closing the end. The sleeve is also swedged closely around the other end. The sleeve is held in place by threading metallic thread or the like through the openings formed in the sleeve and corresponding openings in the plate until the dental plate is vulcanized. i

The extension member 10 may be formed of any material which may be used in mouth surgery such as gold, silver, German silver, platinum or perhaps aluminum might be used. The fact that there is very little strain on the extension members makes it possible for light material to be used. In the case of a metal dental plate, for either upper or lower plate the abutting edge of the dental plate would serve in lieu of the plate 11.

The dental plate with the extension secured in the manner described is applied or secured in position by simply placing the plate in place in the mouth over the gums with the plate 12 positioned inwardly in case of the lower plate and outwardly in case of the upper plate. The plate 12 is then pressed against the aw and the-end 18 of-the rod-or clutch 16 is turned against the plate holding it securely against the jaw thus securingthe dental plate in fixed position on the gums. In placing the lower dental plate the lower edge of the plate 11 should extend down to the mylohyoid ridge and the plate '12 into the nylohyoid group near the floor of the mouth. The size and specific shape of the :plate in each case will depend upon the mouth of the patient to which the plates are being fitted.

It will be readily seen that by this inventiona securing means is provided for both the upper and lower dental plates which not only firmly secure the plates in place but is relatively simple in construction and very practical since it overcomes a very serious and annoying condition commonly experienced by users of artificial teeth.

It will beobvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion and therefore I do not limit myself to'what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as in- (heated by theappended claims. 7

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V 1. The, combination with a dental plate of a device adapted to secure said plate in fixed position comprising a member secured toone side of said plate, an extension pivoted on the outer edge of said member, and a curved rod rotatably mounted at one end on said member,the other-end of said rod adapted-to press against said extension to hold it in fixed position against the side of the jaw, substantially as set forth.

2. Securing means for dental plates comprising a plate adapted-t0 be embedded along thevouter edge of oneside of the-dental plate, a second plate hinged to the firstnamed plate, a clutch having a curved portion secured to the first named plate and positioned so that the curved portion-engages the second plate which in :turn engages the side of thejaw to hold the dental plate in fixed position, substantially-as set forth. j V

'3. Securing means for, dental plates com,- prising an extension hinged to the outer edge of one side of thedental plate, a curved clutch rotatably secured to the dental plate adapted to press said extension inwardly to engage the side of the jaw to holdethe dental plate in the inner end of said clutch to insure free rotation thereof, substantially as set forth.

5. Securing means for dental plates comprising an extension hinged to the outer edge on one side of the dental plate and a clutch secured to the dental plate with the free end thereof adapted to be turned about an axis at right angles to the axis of the hinged extension and to bear against said extension to force it against the side of the jaw to hold the dental plate in fixed position, substantially as set forth. 7

6. Securing means for dental plates co1nprising an extension hinged to the outer edge on one side of the dental plate, .a clutch secured to the dental plate with the free end thereof adapted to be turned about an axis at right angles to the axis of the hinged extension and to bear againstsaid extension to force it against the side of the jaw to hold the dental plate in fixed position, and a sleeve positioned over the secured end of the said clutch to insure free rotation thereof, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana this 12th day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and thirty-two.

JAMES JULIAN. 

